By IDI

One of the contenders in the Indian Navy’s requirement for 12 Mine Counter Measure Vehicle (MCMV) Russia believes that it will emerge winner, said a top Russian official.

In an interview with Russian news agency Interfax, the head of Russia’s Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Dmitry Shugayev, on Monday, said that Russia is waiting for the tender and will pitch its most modern anti-mine vessel Alexandrit-E.

He hoped that Russia will win the contract.

India has made multiple efforts to procure these vessels through global competition. In the last tender, South Korea’s Kangnam Corporation emerged front runner but the deal could not go through.

India has nominated its government-owned Goa Shipyard Ltd as the production agency for the programme.

India is in urgent need of 12 of these ships to protect its shipping lanes and ports.

India has decommissioned its Russian built six Pondicherry class and six Karwar class minesweepers. Last ship of the Karwar class INS Kozhikode was decommissioned in April 2017.

India sent out the Request for Information, under the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016, for the 12 MCMV with Glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) hull.

The last date for the response was May 10, 2019.

The Indian Navy’s Request for Proposal for the programme is awaited.

In the last few years, Chinese submarines are regularly patrolling Indian Oceans. Submarines are the preferred vehicle to lay naval mines around adversary’s shipping lanes and ports.

To meet the operational requirement, India is procuring eight Clip Influence Sweep (CLOIS) for minesweeping .requirements

The 890 ton Alexandrit-E class is the latest Russian mine countermeasures vessel designed to detect and destroy mines of all kinds around naval bases, coastal sea, and can also provide mine protection to ships. It also can lay naval mines to defend the area of interest from ships and submarines.

Manned by a crew of 44, the ship, with sea endurance of 10 days, can cover a distance of 1500 nm at 16 knots.

The vessel operates Russian DIEZ-12700E automated system for mine countermeasures operation control and one LIVADIA-ME mine-detection sonar. The latter is designed to search and liquidation support of anchored, seabed, and bottom mines.

The lead ship of this class Alexander Obukhov and follow on ship Ivan Antonov is operational with Russian Navy. The third ship of the class is undergoing sea trials.

Pic - Dmitry Shugayev